Japans best selling games of 21st Century

[nakamura]

Japan is just a guilty as the west for safe gaming.

[Chief H]

Wowee, I know Animal Crossing is something of a phenomenon but that is a mega bucketload of sales for New Leaf! Compare that to the other games around it in terms of release date and that is huge.

Also never realised that FF X-2 was such a big hit; I always liked that game a lot and thought it did alright but not exactly gangbusters but 1.96m is very decent.

And finally in term of scale, I always think back of the PS2 as being pretty much ubiquitous and just as it was hitting its stride the game anyone with a PS2 had was Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, yet there it is down in 49th. 2001, eh

[dataDave]

No wonder japan gets sweet FA in the way of real games these days.

Take me back to the days of the SFC and Mega Drive moving on to the saturn. That's when we had some quality action titles coming out of Japan.

So The Wonderful 101 and Bayonetta 2 aren't quality action titles?

Before these we've had Bayonetta, Vanquish, MGR:R and Anarchy Reigns.

You're coming across as living in denial. Platinum Games are the kings of the action genre. Ask anyone other than Team Andromeda.

[Yakumo]

So The Wonderful 101 and Bayonetta 2 aren't quality action titles?

Wonderful 101, no idea what that is. Bayonetta 2 is on the Wii U, a console that has less to offer than a bag of soggy crisps IMO. Anyway, I'm talking about the chart at the beginning of this thread. In the mid to late 90's that chart would have been filled with loads of quality action titles from Japan. These days, the amount of quality action titles japan makes is seriously out weighed by western developers.

I agree that Bayonetta, Vanquish and MGS are all great games but how many games is that compared to the mountain of sim pokemon and dull RPGs games that come out? I could name 30 great Japanese action games from the mid to late 90's without even much thought. I'm not in denial at all. Don't forget, I've been in Japan since 1997. I have seen the change in style, the way shops favour different genders of games and experienced the change in what once was a real gamers industry to what is now a family kiddy orientated industry. It's not that easy for people in the west to see the whole picture because you don't get the whole picture first hand. I'm defiantly not in denial, just saying how it really is.

[dataDave]

Wonderful 101, no idea what that is.

It's a Wii-U exclusive action title. And it's easily the best game of 2013.

Bayonetta 2 is on the Wii U, a console that has less to offer than a bag of soggy crisps IMO.

TW101, Wind Waker HD, Pikmin 3, NSMBU+Luigi, and ZombiU. Soon there’s SM3DW, Mario Kart, DKC, Bayonetta 2. Hardly a soggy bag of crisps.

Anyway, I'm talking about the chart at the beginning of this thread. In the mid to late 90's that chart would have been filled with loads of quality action titles from Japan.

I'm trying to tell you that those games still exist, mostly thanks to Platinum Games and in part to Nintendo (for funding their recent projects). They just don't shift the numbers like they used to because old-school hardcore gamers like me and you don't exist.

These days, the amount of quality action titles japan makes is seriously out weighed by western developers.

In quantity sure, quality? No way. I know I'm going to play 300 hours of Bayonetta 2 over 12 hours of DmC or 8 hours of God of War or 6 hours of Ryse.

I agree that Bayonetta, Vanquish and MGS are all great games but how many games is that compared to the mountain of sim pokemon and dull RPGs games that come out? I could name 30 great Japanese action games from the mid to late 90's without even much thought. I'm not in denial at all. Don't forget, I've been in Japan since 1997. I have seen the change in style, the way shops favour different genders of games and experienced the change in what once was a real gamers industry to what is now a family kiddy orientated industry. It's not that easy for people in the west to see the whole picture because you don't get the whole picture first hand. I'm defiantly not in denial, just saying how it really is.

Maybe denial was the wrong wordage, but really, try looking at things outside of the mainstream. Action titles you like simply are no longer mainstream so you don't know about them and then claim that Japan offers "nothing". Which is totally false.

I know you're a big retro man so keep on living in the past. But that's okay, that's exactly how I was before I played Mad World and had my eyes opened.

[Yakumo]

Just to point out, I do have a Wii U in the house, it belongs to my son but I'm just not interested in it. I play the New Super Mario Wii-U with him and a few other games but I just can't get in to it. I don't particularly like Mario as a character anyway, nor do I really like Zelda or any party type games. This is why I don't like the Wii U that much.

True, I love retro but that's not to say that's all I play. I love modern too. I have over 60 360 titles and enjoy them just as much as older games. I've put over 150 hours in to EDF 4 alone on the 360, over 100 hours in to Sonic All Star Racing and loads of time in to GTA 5 (finished that one). So I do love new games too Just started Assassins Creed 2

[dataDave]

Do yourself a favour and Buy The Wonderful 101, dude. It's a testament to games of old, and the genre as we (as in, the few people left like me and you) know it!

Sorry if my posts come across as rude. I just get particularly passionate about this area of the subject/hobby. Too many diss Japan's lack of output when I pretty much have to drag myself to play anything produced in the West. Sure, the output is scarce compared to days of old, but if you know where to look the quality and content is there to keep you pinned for months.

[DeathAdder]

There's not a single title in that listthat I would even concider buying .

Not interested in Mario 3D Land?

[Yakumo]

Not interested in Mario 3D Land?

Nope, not at all. It's Mario, a character that has never done it for me. I'm not saying it will be a bad game, just one that I have no interest in.

DataDave, I'll look in to that Woderful. 101. I'll buy it for "my son" for Christmas along with other stuff he wants. Actually, he'd probably like I since he loves older games as well as newer ones.

[dataDave]

Good. It's the best game so far this decade.